'She lodge' imposes ban on senior women

KOCHI: Born out of the idea of providing safe accommodation for women traveling alone, senior women are excluded from Kochi Corporation's She Lodge. Those over 60 are denied entry on the grounds that managing their health problems is difficult. Located near Ernakulam North Railway Station, She Lodge is adjacent to the Corporation's Samriddhi Hotel and is conveniently located near excellent hospitals and a police station. Despite these facilities, the denial of access to elderly individuals due to their health issues has sparked protests. It is argued that health problems can affect people of any age making it unfair to deny access to the elderly.

She Lodge is known for its flexibility allowing guests to come and go at any time during the night with prior notice. It features 106 rooms spread across three floors and offers 25 dormitory beds. The pricing is as follows: Dormitory - 100 rupees, single room - 200 rupees, double room - 350 rupees. Each person can stay for up to three days.

Sheeba Lal, Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Welfare expressed that She Lodge is mostly used by people who come to Kochi for interviews, exams etc. Elderly people are excluded due to health issues.

Silsila Kaladi, a member of Parava, a travel group for women added, " Nowadays many women are preparing for travel. The decision to exclude senior citizens from the general system started for women on frivolous health grounds should be reconsidered.”

After the age of 60, women become free from family responsibilities. After that, many people prepare for travel. The notion that all older women are sick is wrong. Discrimination at She Lodge is unacceptable.

--Tanuja Bhattathiri, writer